March 25, 2020 - 9:12 AM
MELBOURNE, Fla. - A weeks-old black bear cub that wildlife officials found on a dirt road in the Ocala National Forest in late February is being nursed back to health at the Brevard Zoo.
A news release said the cub, which had been abandoned by its mother, is now about six weeks old and is healthy, feeding well and has opened his eyes. The bear is being fed every four hours, said his primary caretaker, Lauren Hinson.
When Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers found the bear, they tried to find its mother, but she never returned. The cub was examined by a veterinarian and it was put in an incubator and was bottle fed every few hours.
Officials at the zoo said the cub is not a candidate for release back into the wild.
The bear's progress cane be followed on the zoo's social media channels.
The Melbourne-based zoo is a not-for-profit that receives no recurring public funds. Officials there said they've been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in what would typically be a busy spring break season.
Community members can support the Zoo by visiting www.brevardzoo.org and donating, purchasing a membership or symbolically adopting an animal, the email said.
News from © The Associated Press, 2020